Good Vibrations

We have all used the phrase - 'they are on my vibe' or 'they are just not on my wavelength' but what does it really mean?

I had never really considered waves or vibrations a thing and not really thought much about it, but I was acutely aware that I just 'got on with some people' and not with others.

What was it that caused this? I teach this stuff all the time in my Customer Service and team building courses. Real life experience and practice helps you to start spotting signs and 'tuning' in to peoples 'vibe' and a little knowledge helps too.

The real secret is that we all know whether someone is on our wavelength or not. We get that gut feeling right from the off when we first meet someone, and we often don't listen to our inner voice.

We must not be judgemental. That is what we are told. But what is the difference between being judgemental and trusting your gut?

All of us are different, I think we know that! But humans do display many common characteristics and are quite easy to predict once you know the signs to look for. When looking for partners or friends we tend to gravitate to people in circles that have the same interests or hobbies and the same outlook on life and predictably we tend to end up with our suitors based around the 4 main personality and communication types. If you have not already, I would highly recommend doing a personality test to find out more about yourself and how you might interact with others.

Why should this not apply to business relationships too?

Feel the Energy

I am not going to get too deep here and will try and keep my examples high level but if you stop and think we have all experienced energy, good and bad.

Old Trafford atmosphere

Some great examples of good energy are sports events or concerts. How many times have you heard people comment on the 'atmosphere'. There is no doubt whatsoever that the energy can reflect in the performance and vice versa. You can actually 'feel' the energy in the stadium or venue. When my team Brighton beat Manchester United 2-1 at Old Trafford this month the atmosphere in the away end was electric, but not so in the other stands!

What about bad energy at events. A great example being Woodstock 99. Most will remember the original Woodstock for being very 'peace and love', a different chilled out vibe to that of 1999. Death metal music, lack of water and hygiene facilities and extreme heat combined together to whip up a destructive frenzy within the crowd with disastrous consequences.

Have you ever been in a meeting and someone has remarked on the 'energy in the room', usually when it's low, and it's necessary to break it with a change of task, a break or a new direction. I often like getting people to stand up and move about, or even partake in some Yoga. Believe me, this works!

Ever had the 'mood hoover'? Someone who can walk into a room and suck out all the good energy in one fail swoop. They usually have low energy themselves and do their best to project that negativity on everyone else. Often we cant choose who we work with, so we have to put up with bad energy in the workplace which can be very demotivating.

Successful teams

A business can choose the suppliers they do business with and a supplier can choose who they work with. A great leader in any business also has the chance to create and gel great teams and get them singing to the same tune. Carefully moulding the team and building it up with a blend of different skills and personalities. Not all the same, but on the same wavelength.

I strongly believe that working with people and business cultures that fit my 'vibe' is essential to success. Without that it's always a struggle to find the common ground and get the desired shared outcomes.

A great team achieves together

I have been lucky enough to work in some very successful teams. They were built on strength, trust, integrity and respect for others. We were on the same wavelength in many ways. We had the same goals. We had similar beliefs, and the same views on what success looked like to the team. As a collective we were also able to deal with any negative or destructive vibes that came from the outside into the team and quickly extinguish it or turn it into a positive.

But what about diversity I hear you cry as you look at the picture! Well that team were from all walks of life and all over the country with different upbringings and different ideas as well as a plethora of different accents! We were all different and unique in our own special way.

With all of the above came success but also a sense of being part of something bigger. Us humans do need some of that in our lives and being part of a group that is successful can give you a big boost in self esteem and confidence.

Being aware of the energy you are giving off can dramatically improve your interactions with others, particularly customers and clients. Living in the moment and taking the time to reflect is really important. What vibes am I giving off today? What are my energy levels?

So next time you that you struggle to connect with someone, first look inside, take a step back and think about what wavelength you are on that day. Or vice versa, next time you connect with someone ask yourself why that is, look a little deeper, you may just surprise yourself!

You will not be surprised to find that when you are giving off good energy you are likely to attract good energy, but it can work the other way too so beware!

In the plumbing and drainage industry we deal with different types of customers and clients every day. Finding a way to connect is key to success. I am sure as leaders you will want your people to be giving off good vibes about your company, this energy will give you better outcomes. Talk to DRBi to see how we can help you to get those good vibes flowing throughout your business and let us help you to instil a great culture that will grow your business and have happy people.